American Masters Sister Rosetta Tharpe: The Godmother of Rock & Roll

Premieres nationally Friday, February 22 at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings) in honor of Black History Month

Film Interviewees

(in alphabetical order)

Joe Boyd – record producer, tour manager of the 1964 American Folk, Blues and Gospel Caravan

Howard Carroll – member of the gospel group The Dixie Hummingbirds, which frequently toured with Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Pastor Robert Hargrove – Church of God in Christ, Philadelphia

Anthony Heilbut – gospel record producer and writer; Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s friend

Helen Henderson – Church of God in Christ, Philadelphia

Lottie Henry – member of Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s back-up vocal group, The Rosettes

George Klein – friend of Elvis Presley

Roxie Moore – lifelong friend of Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Gordon Stoker – member of the gospel group, The Jordanaires

Ira Tucker, Jr. – friend of Sister Rosetta Tharpe and son of The Dixie Hummingbirds’ Ira Tucker, Sr., who toured frequently with Tharpe

Gayle Wald – Sister Rosetta Tharpe biographer (Shout, Sister, Shout!: The Untold Story of

Rock-and-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe)

Willa Ward – member of the gospel group, The Ward Singers